CCM17860 - Discrepancy Enquiries: Penalty Cases: Claimant disputes HMRC information and/or provides alternative details
If the claimant disputes HMRC’s information, you should consider any reason they give for the discrepancy.
If the claimant provides any alternative details you should consider this carefully to see if you can accept it. For example, you have opened your enquiry because childcare costs of £85 per week have been claimed but the childcare provider has told you the child left the nursery 3 months ago. The claimant agrees this but tells you the child is now at a different nursery and the costs are £75 per week.
If you need to discuss the issue with the claimant try to contact them by phone wherever possible.
For more guidance on what you may need to consider in:
- Income discrepancy cases see CCM17270
- Childcare discrepancy cases, see CCM17320
- Disability discrepancy cases, see CCM17330
- Child /young person’s disability rate and severe disability rate of the CTC disability element cases, see CCM17335
- Qualifying young person discrepancy cases, see CCM17340
Once you have considered the claimants response you will then reach one of four conclusions:-
- You accept the explanation and no adjustment is needed - CCM17870
- You do not accept their explanation - see CCM17890
- The claimant has now given different details which you accept - see CCM17880
- The claimant has now given different details which you do not accept - see CCM17890
If the information the claimant supplies calls the datamatch into question, i.e. it seems possible that another person with the same name has been confused with the claimant, consult your manager. Your manager will have the datamatch checked and then advise you what to do.
If you and your manager then: